Update on Mom's status

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It has been a very long day - but it ended on a good note finally... the doctor called me first thing this morning and I am at present going to have him be Mom's doctor until I can find another doctor - that being said - he wanted Mom to go into a nursing home forever because she is unresponsive and combative and argumentative and confused... I asked him if he had seen her this morning because yesterday she was just unresponsive...so I listened and he informed me that medicare would not let her stay in the hopsital anymore... so what do I want to do - I told him that I thought she was going to rehabilitation - some sort of nursing on the 5th floor next - specialized or something like that - it starts with an S but I can't remember the word... anyway he told me that the 5th floor rehab people had given up on her that she just was too unresponsive and combative...

I asked him if she had been given any more of that Ativan and he said NO not since yesterday morning - I said good she is not to be given anymore and that the only thing I would allow was tylenol. He told me a few more LIES - and I know they were total lies - then told me that he was upset as she had missed a follow-up 30 day appointment back in November - I told him I was unaware of any appoiintment and if she had missed one why hadn't his office notified us - that he still thought of himself as her doctor and had just refilled one of her prescriptions - he said he didn't know... I told him as I checked my purse calendar that I had no appointment in my calendar and since I was the one who kept track of this that I knew she didn't have one and that she had just kept one with her heart doctor and was fine at it...

He changed his tune slightly but still wanted to know what my plans were as he was recommending Nursing home... he told me the social service lady would be calling me - she did an hour and a half later - I spoke with her and Mom was scheduled to go to the Commons - a Methodist nursing home - best in town - they came and accepted her - so we got it all scheduled for her to go there...

I went up to the hospital to pick up her suitcase and things that I had put in her room to make it homier and she was up sitting in her chair - I spoke to her nurse - same one who she had on Saturday and she said she was doing great - I asked her about the LIES that Dr told me and she said they were truly lies as they didn't happen.... I talked to Mom and told her the plan and she was all for it... so at 3 this afternoon the life truck came and picked her up to transport her...

I was already at the home and they seem absolutely wonderful - I talked to several people there that are nurses or social workers and they have absolutely no idea why she was put on Ativan - I have written a note in her chart there that she is not to receive any... and doctor beware - I will fight him all the way - she has also been put on Ambien, Zoloft and Ultram - all drugs that I had reactions too - was zombie like when on them - drove on Ambien and got the stutters very bad... so they are going to only give her those if absolutely necesssary... She is also declining them and they said to receive the Ambien she will have to ask for it by name and tell them she is having trouble sleeping...

It was so wonderful to have people that seemed to truly care for my Mom around her. We are attempting to get her speaker/headset set up so it will work but by this evening I was so exhausted I told Mom I would get that working tomorrow - and tomorrow we will buy her a new lazy boy for there as we have to furnish all furniture for sitting in...

she understands where she is - why she is there - what the plan is and is ready to work hard so that she can come home...

I know she was disoriented at the hospital and I don't totally blame them for the situation as I know she is and can be very difficult - but for the moment she is back and I am relaxed this evening and happier... there is a plan and possibly a future to look forward to.

I may not be able to go to Branson because of all this but we are hopeful - she can stay in this place for 20 days and if she is responding and trying to improve she can stay longer - the 1st 20 days are covered by medicare and then it goes on a weekly evaluation where she has to pay 20% of the cost - the 20 days brings us to the 28th - and the next week is our Branson vacation - I have already talked to the NH about it and they are aware and figure she will be there if she keeps doing good and trying for 2 months - but we have to get through and see if she continues..

If she ends up wanting to stay there, they will apply for medicaid assistance for her as it is $5000 a month.... she can not afford that - so we shall see -

But my mood is lighter tonight and I am hopeful that we have a good chance that she will get the assistance she needs. I I am hopeful that tonight I will get some sleep - haven't had much at all since Saturday...

So sleep tonight - get the speaker fixed tomorrow - and then get to work on the RR and the mailbox gifts... and Christine's quilt - I hope to be back doing them by Saturday!

Keep those prayers coming - they are working wonders! Thank you ever so much!

Thea, I am so glad to hear of your good news regarding your Mom. Please take advantage of all the things that are going right. If somethig would happen that she would have to go back into the hospital, be certain to try to keep her room for her. If you don't , a room might not be available when she needed to come back and then you would just have to take potluck on getting her into another facility as good as this seems to be. I am so glad that your Mom finally came around and is lucid. Yes, I agree with whomever said to get her a recliner that raises her up to a standing position. You have no idea how helpful they are. Ginny

This is great news. I know that a good nursing home is a blessing. I hope she continues to be happy and content there. She will be more willing to work to get better and that will make the healing so much easier for her. I hope you rest well tonight you have had a rough week and you need your rest too. I'm glad you are both happy with the nursing home.

This sounds like a nice setting for you mom! Can I suggest that you look at a lift chair when you're shopping for recliners. My mom really appreciated hers when she got to that stage of life.

We have a lift recliner for her here at home but they don't allow them in nursing homes due to the fact that they actually can tip over quite easily - when we first got the one here at home Mom tipped it at least 3 times before she figured out that she had to let the chair get her in and out - or to put the foot of the chair down before getting out. We are buying her just a simple lazy boy for at the NH - I would have taken her lift chair there if they had allowed them. I was kind of sad as she wanted her chair from home. She does understand though and we will get one that we will bring back home when she comes home and get her set up with 2 here at the house - plans are to set up the big bedroom which is at the moment more a storage room for her things - we are going to set up the new TV in there and take some of the furniture up to the attic - just too much furniture - but we we do have plans - just wish I could get them all done - RIGHT NOW... never happens though when you can't do the things yourself and have to depend on someone else to help you... and DH works hard on his feet all day so I hate to bug him every day when he comes home - but at the moment I have his attention so am working it...teehee

By the way, all that standing yesterday and running around has given me a huge hip this morning - I am hoping that soon the swelling goes down.